Yahoo News BFI London Film Festival Scores Biggest In-Person Audience in 10 Years — Global Bulletin
FESTIVAL FEVER
The 68th BFI London Film Festival had the event’s highest in-person attendance in 10 years, it was revealed on Monday.
Across 12 days of screenings in London, the festival welcomed 230,342 guests, an 18% increase from last year’s edition. For 49% of those who booked tickets to events, it marked their first time at London Film Festival. In addition, the occupancy across in-person events and screenings increased to 92% from last year’s 90%. Over 815 filmmakers, XR artists and creatives from around the world presented work at the festival, and its industry forum had 3,000 delegates.
More from Variety
Director of Far-Right Doc Pulled From London Film Festival Says 'Fear Is Its Own Form of Censorship'
“Our biggest thanks go to the artists and industry colleagues from the U.K. and across the globe who fueled our collective curiosity this year,” festival director Kristy Matheson said in a statement. “It was a delight to see audiences engage with each other and this program — proving once again the joy and comfort we all find in screen culture.”
The winners of this year’s audience awards have also been unveiled, as chosen by the public. Darren Thornton’s dramedy “Four Mothers” won for best feature, Sophie Compton and Daisy-May Hudson’s “Holloway” took home the documentary prize and Jamie Benyon’s crime romp “Two Minutes” nabbed the short film honor.
The festival’s opening night saw the world premiere of Steve McQueen’s “Blitz,” starring Saoirse Ronan, and it was closed by Pharrell William’s Lego biopic “Piece by Piece.” Other buzzy movies that screened at London Film Festival this year included “Emilia Pérez” (pictured above), “Anora,” “We Live in Time,” “The Wild Robot” and “Endurance.”
SPAIN MEETS BOLLYWOOD
Spain’s President Pedro Sanchez met with top brass from the Producers Guild of India (PGI) at Mumbai’s Yash Raj Studios recently, marking his first official visit to the country in nearly two decades. The executive huddle focused on potential collaborations between the Spanish and Indian film sectors. Sanchez, joined by First Lady Begona Gomez and key cabinet members including Industry Minister Jordi Hereu Boher and Transportation Minister Óscar Puente, engaged with PGI delegates led by president Shibasish Sarkar, who also serves as group CEO of Reliance Entertainment.
The Indian contingent included executives from major production houses: Red Chillies Entertainment‘s Aashish Singh, Luv Films‘ Ankur Garg, T Series‘ Shiv Chanana, and host Akshaye Widhani of Yash Raj Films. During the session, Sarkar outlined India’s multilingual film landscape and detailed factors that influence Indian producers’ choice of international shooting locations. The meeting, scheduled during Sanchez’s brief two-day India tour, signals Spain’s interest in fostering ties with India’s film sector. The Spanish president indicated plans for increased cooperation between the two countries’ film industries, framing the meeting as an initial step toward broader collaboration.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
